DETROIT - General Motors Corp. has decided to end its sponsorship of CBS' hit series "Survivor," but the world's largest automaker said Wednesday that the decision had nothing to do with the reality show's controversial decision to divide its contestants in the upcoming season by race and ethnicity.GM spokeswoman Ryndee S. Carney said the company made the decision in the normal course of making its media buys months ago, before the show made its recent announcement.

"I think it's just a coincidence. I know it's not cause and effect," Carney said.

A group of New York City officials have criticized the new format, saying it promotes divisiveness. They have asked CBS to reconsider its plans.

"How could anybody be so desperate for ratings?" City Councilman John Liu asked last week.

Show creator Mark Burnett said Tuesday that many of those criticizing the new approach haven't ever seen the show and don't understand how it works.

"By putting people in tribes, they clearly have to get rid of people of their own ethnicity," he told The Associated Press during a conference call. "So it's not racial at all."

For the first portion of the 13th edition of "Survivor," which premieres Sept. 14, the contestants competing for the $1 million prize while stranded on the Cook Islands in the South Pacific will be divided into four teams - blacks, Asians, Hispanics and whites.

GM, which has sponsored "Survivor" since it premiered in May 2000, is shifting some of its media dollars from prime-time television to more live sports, awards shows and other big events, Carney said.

The Detroit-based company also decided that its media strategy should feature cars and trucks integrated into shows, which was difficult on "Survivor," she said. Although one episode did feature a Pontiac Aztek, the opportunities for cars and trucks on the show were few, Carney said.

"There's a limited number of possibilities as to how you can integrate a car or truck in a show that people spend their whole time on an island," she said.

CBS spokesman Chris Ender said GM notified the network of its decision long before the new "Survivor" format was announced. He said the company had no knowledge of the competition by race.

"They informed us several months ago that they wouldn't be part of the upcoming season. It's unrelated to the controversy surrounding the upcoming edition," Ender said.

CBS Entertainment, which is part of New York-based CBS Corp., will stick with the format despite the criticism, he said.

Ender would not say if any other sponsors had left the show or if CBS had a replacement for GM.

CBS Entertainment, which is part of New York-based CBS Corp., has defended the ethnic twist, saying it follows the show's tradition of introducing new creative elements and casting structures that reflect cultural and social issues.

This article was updated at 4:41 p.m.Mark Burnett on Tuesday lashed out at "Survivor" critics who don't watch the show, saying this season "wouldn't be racial at all."

Show's creator said intra-squad rivalry on "Survivor: Cook Islands" --in which four teams would be divided according to race -- would trump any tension between the groups and thus avoid racism.

"By putting people in tribes, they clearly have to get rid of people of their own ethnicity," he told a group of reporters. "So it's not racial at all."

Criticism, he said, came from a place of ignorance.

"People are saying things who've never seen 'Survivor' ... and don't understand how it works," Burnett said.

He added, "Clearly, to win 'Survivor,' it's the biggest leadership test ever. What other contest or life thing do you have to literally get rid of people -- sometimes brutally -- and then ask them to give you money?"

Burnett was speaking on a conference call for joint AOL-CBS Internet series "Gold Rush." A press advisory specifically had warned that he wouldn't discuss "Survivor," but when a reporter asked Burnett about the controversy, he waved aside the AOL publicist's objections and said he'd answer anyway.

"I don't want to talk about this necessarily, but I also don't want to avoid it," he said.

Burnett also criticized those who didn't watch the show, whose 13th season debuts Sept. 14. "The truth is I look at how many people are making so many comments, and many of them admit to never ever seeing 'Survivor,' " he said.

In earlier comments to Daily Variety, he offered the hope that "maybe that taboo (of race) could disappear" through this season's concept.

CBS said in a statement last week that this season, like past ones, will illuminate social dynamics, and that viewers should wait to see the episodes before judging them. A rep said the net continues to stand by that statement.

Meanwhile, New York community leaders held a rally Tuesday in front of CBS headquarters in Gotham. Several New York council members and activists, including Fernando Mateo and the Rev. Calvin Butts, attended the protest, held in persistent rain.

Coke, Campbell Soup Join GM in Ditching 'Survivor' General Motors may be the largest Survivor advertiser to drop its sponsorship of the hit reality show, but it's not the only one to do so.

Among several other advertisers who have said they will not return for the upcoming season of Survivor, which has drawn controversy for dividing tribes along racial lines, are Coca-Cola, Home Depot, United Parcel Service and Campbell Soup, the New York Times writes.

GM announced yesterday that it would not advertise on this season's Survivor, saying that, in spite of the fact that the company announced an expansion of its advertising sponsorship for the show as late as May 12, the decision was made months ago to stop advertising, and was unrelated to the show's new format. A spokeswoman for Campbell Soup also said the decision was made before the company knew about the content of the season.

In 2006, General Motors accounted for $14.7 million, or 18 percent of the $80.7 million spent by the 50 top advertisers of the show, according to figures from TNS Media Intelligence. CBS has said that the show has attracted plenty of other advertisers. It wouldn't name them, despite the fact that in early seasons of the show, CBS issued news releases with the names of sponsoring companies.

The two most recent seasons of the show, Survivor: Guatemala and Survivor: Panama, were ranked fifth and seventh respectively in terms of total viewers for the season.

but what i dont understand is these sponsers pulling out is that for next year or are we not going to see any of their comericals during the show this year?

what im courious about is this season of surivor which is causeing such an uproar has alread been filmed and is finished right? (i mean its not like bb where they film as they go) I was under the impression that the whole season was finished and over with . the only part not know if who won the money but the votes have already been counted.

So my question is since they usally have people winning a car and stuff is it still going to be a GM viehicle since they have already filmed that part??

THe NY city council asking Survivor to reconsider.. spoonsors pulling out.... do they not realize this show is taped months in advance is if finished!! Will be some tricky editing not to have sponsors for the rewards now.

I do not like the idea of dividing by race ~ only because so much contravesy, BUT no one threw a fit when it was men against women of the tribes wer old and young. And if you watch survivor at all you know it will only last a few episodes because it will be too many story lines